What we’ve learned from 10 years of integrating biophysical and social research to improve outcomes of environmental flows in Australia (#86)
Robyn J Watts
1
,
Catherine Allan
1
- Charles Sturt University, Albury, NSW, Australia
- Adaptive management of environmental flows is often conceptualised as experts experimenting with delivery of water for the environment. We think this view does not capture the breadth of adaptive management. Here we share what we have learned from over a decade of research on environmental flows, where we have sought to understand the process of learning and change practice.
- Our first collaborative project related to river operators working within operating rules to achieve multiple outcomes in the Mitta Mitta River (Victoria). We integrated results from biophysical monitoring of flow trials with results from interviews with river operators to better understand factors influencing the development of new guidelines for dam operations. Our more recent research in the Edward-Kolety/Wakool system (NSW) has integrated results from biophysical monitoring and stakeholder surveys to document perceptions of flow trials undertaken both within and outside operational norms.
- We found that a range of learning (social, operational, ecological, physical) was occurring. However, as the learning occurred in many forms and across multiple years and organisations, social research was required to find and document evidence of it. We also found that learning was influenced by the ‘frames’ through which different actors perceive river management.
- Our multi-disciplinary research has helped broaden the understanding of adaptive management of environmental flows and has influenced management. It has led to social research being integrated into monitoring and evaluation of environmental flows in the Edward/Kolety-Wakool system and has encouraged managers and scientists to consider incorporating social research into other programs.
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